| Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminate -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
  Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminateUSPTO Application #: 20060283542Title: Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminate Abstract: The machine comprises a substrate feeder (1,3,10,11), a laminate feeder (14,15,16) and application means (12,18) for applying said laminate to said substrates. It further comprises cutting means (17,22,23,24) for cutting said laminate (13) between successive substrates (2) during application of said laminate (13) on said substrates (2). (end of abstract) Agent: Crompton, Seager & Tufte, LLC - Minneapolis, MN, US Inventor: Johannes Georg Schaede USPTO Applicaton #: 20060283542 - Class: 156256000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060283542. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention concerns a machine for applying strips of laminate to planar substrates and for cutting said strips once applied. [0002] The present invention also concerns a process for applying strips of laminate to planar substrates and for cutting said strips once applied. [0003] In the field of banknotes and securities, there has been increasing needs for security features protecting against counterfeiting. Indeed, in the past years, computers, scanners and copy machines have been extensively developed and today, it is possible to buy very performing devices at a reasonable price. Since these devices are more performing, it has been at the same time necessary to develop new and improved security features for securities, such as banknotes, checks, cards (i.e. credit cards), ID cards, passports etc. which would not allow them to be copied by standard computers or scanners, or even modern color copy machines. [0004] Such security features include special inks, so called optical variable inks, used to print specific patterns on the substrate of the note, optical variable devices in the shape of metallized patches or holograms, or also specific patterns, such as moire patterns and other similar patterns, all of which are very difficult if not impossible copy by actual devices, but, on the other hand, are easy to control visually. [0005] Other security means include combinations of superimposed lines and/or patterns with colors which are only visible under specific conditions, for example UV light or by transparency. Again, the interest of such security means is that they may easily be printed or placed on the document to be protected and also be controlled by simple devices, even visually, but they are impossible to reproduce with actual printers, scanners or copy machines. [0006] Another specific technique involves watermarks in which the paper substrate is marked with lines or patterns only visible in transparency. A further development of this technique concerns pseudo-watermarks consisting in the creation of a window in the substrate, especially in paper-based substrates which are normally not transparent, said window being transparent. [0007] It is however very difficult to create or simulate a transparent window in a paper-based substrate. Transparent windows, as such, are widely used in polymer-based substrates for banknotes and securities, in order to form security elements. These polymer based substrates are usually completely transparent, therefore, to create a transparent window, it is only necessary to leave the chosen zone free of printing. However, in the case of paper, a non-transparent substrate as such, a first process has been developed according to which, it is possible to reduce locally the thickness of the paper in order to create a transparent window in the substrate. PCT application WO 99/14433 for example discloses this process and the content of this application is incorporated by reference in the present application. According to this known process, a soaking solution is applied on at least one surface of the paper in one or several predetermined zones, then pressure and heat are applied on the soaked zone so as to evaporate and increase the density of the paper in said zone relative to the rest of the paper. Thus, these zones have a reduced thickness with respect to the rest of the paper and become transparent. [0008] This first technique however has the drawback of weakening locally the paper in the zone comprising the window. In particular, the reduced thickness of the window weakens the substrate. Banknotes using such a technique thus have a reduced lifetime and must be exchanged, i.e. new bank notes must be printed to replace the older damaged ones. [0009] Another technique implies to cut a hole directly in the paper in order to create the transparent window. For example, PCT application WO 95/10420, the content of which is incorporated by reference in the present application, discloses said other technique. It is of course necessary to cover the hole cut in the substrate, which is done in this case by covering the hole with a strip of transparent material, e.g. a foil or a laminate. This document specifically uses the contrast between the transparency of the window and a diffraction structure used as an additional security feature and placed inside the window. Modern copy machines and scanners are indeed unable to copy a diffraction structure and also a transparent window. [0010] European patent application No. 002405368.8 "Machine for cutting openings in a substrate" filed on May 6, 2002 in the name of KBA-GIORI S.A., the content of which is incorporated by reference in the present application, discloses a machine for cutting openings, such as windows, in a planar substrate, for example a paper substrate. [0011] In the cases mentioned above, the substrate is weakened, either by its reduced thickness, or by the absence of material (cut hole), therefore there is a need to use reinforcing means for such substrates. One reinforcing means of particular interest is made with a strip of transparent laminate made of an appropriate material, such as, but not limited to, Polyester (PET) or Polycarbonate (PC) films. Other materials known in the art are of course possible. The strip of material is attached to the substrate by conventional techniques such as gluing or other equivalent methods known in the art. An example of application of such a strip of laminate is disclosed in the European patent application No. 02405782.0 filed on Sep. 10, 2002 in the name of KBA-GIORI S.A., the content of which is incorporated by reference in the present application. [0012] A strip of laminate may be used also to add a security element to the substrate, in the field of securities, such as a banknotes, checks and other similar products. As indicated in EP application No. 02405782.0 cited above, additional security elements could be placed on the securities, in particular directly on the zone with a reduced thickness, i.e. the transparent zone. One example of a security feature which is particularly advantageous to use in the present application is disclosed in Swiss Patent application No. 01661/01 filed on Sep. 7, 2001 in the name of KBA-GIORI S.A., the content of this Swiss Patent application being incorporated by reference in the present application. The security feature for printed matter described in this application comprises a first drawing printed on one side of said printed matter, said drawing being made of a first set of geometrical shapes, and a second drawing printed on another side of the printed matter in register with a second set of geometrical shapes corresponding to the first set, but in which one of said sets comprises offset sectors so that when the recto-verso register is correct, the security feature forms zones of variable density that can be seen only in transparency. [0013] In addition, strips of laminate may be used to protect security elements placed on the substrate, in particular when the substrate forms securities, such as banknotes, checks, ID cards, credit cards and other similar objects. Typical security elements are disclosed for example in the European patent application No. 02405203.7 filed on Mar. 15, 2002 in the name of KBA-GIORI S.A., the content of which is incorporated by reference in the present application. Other security elements are of course known in the art of securities. Once the security elements have been placed on the substrate, either by printing (for example with, but not limited to, optically variable inks), depositing of specific material (for example, but not limited thereto, with so called optically variable devices), patches and other known elements, the security element is covered by a strip of transparent laminate as a protection to avoid its deterioration with time. [0014] It is therefore an aim of the invention to improve the known machines and methods. [0015] More specifically, it is an aim of the present invention to improve the machines for applying laminate on substrates. Another aim of the invention is to provide a machine which is able to apply at least a strip of laminate on successive substrates and to cut said strip or strips between said substrates once the strip or strips has been applied. [0016] Accordingly, the present invention is defined by the features the claims. [0017] The present invention will be better understood by the description of several embodiments with the accompanying drawings in which: [0018] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the machine according to the invention. [0019] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the cutting system for the laminate according to the invention in a first position. [0020] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the cutting system for the laminate according to the invention in a second position. [0021] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the cutting system for the laminate according to the invention in a third position. [0022] An example of an embodiment of a machine according to the invention is described in a detailed manner with reference to FIG. 1 which shows the principle of functioning of the machine. The machine disclosed is a machine which first cuts an opening in the substrate as will be explained later in this application. [0023] Accordingly, the processing machine is combined with a feeding unit 1 which provides the machine with planar substrates 2, such as sheets of paper. The feeding unit has a feeder cooperating with a transporting section 3, for example a chain gripper system or a suction belt or any other equivalent system known in the art, which feeds the machine with successive substrates 2, such as sheets of paper, in a continuous manner. Such a feeding unit is known per se in the art of printing machines for securities. [0024] The substrates or sheets 2 arriving at the end of the transporting section 3 cooperating with the feeder are then taken by first and second transfer cylinders 4, 5 by appropriate means, for example a swinging transfer device 6, know per se in the art. The second transfer cylinder 5 delivers the successively fed sheets 2 to a counter cylinder 7 which is used to support the sheets 2 while openings are being cut in the successive substrates 2 by a cutting cylinder 8 supporting cutting tools 9. The principle of such a machine for cutting openings in a planar substrates, such as sheets of paper, is disclosed and described in European patent application No. 02405368.8 filed on May 6, 2002 in the name of KBA-GIORI S.A. The content of this application is enclosed by reference in the present application for the disclosure of a machine for cutting openings in a planar substrate. Continue reading... Full patent description for Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminate Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminate patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080105369 - System for producing pressure sensitive intermediate web assembly having regularly occurring discontinuous segments produced in a continuous fashion - A continuous manufacturing system is provided for producing an intermediate web assembly having a series of regularly occurring preprinted segments that are disposed on a surface of the web. The segments are initially produced in a sheet form which is prepared by rendering high quality images in discrete areas representative ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminate or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Apparatus and method for automatically fabricating tape with threads for visualization of air streams on aerodynamic surfaces Next Patent Application: Pseudo-transmission method of forming and joining articles Industry Class: Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Machine for applying and cutting strips of laminate patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 1.72642 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , |
||
